NEW DELHI: World leading research institutions fromIndia and the United Stateshave partnered to create a US$125 million clean energy consortium which will allow two of the world’s largest economies to tackle climate issues and guide the world towards a prosperous, low carbon future.

The Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre (JCERDC), links together experts from national laboratories, universities, and industries to share knowledge and expertise and help drive national upscale of clean technology in India and the US.

The JCERDC is led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of Florida and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US, and the Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology and CEPT University in India.

The US Department of Energy will provide US$5 million over five years towards the work and the Indian Government has committed to fund US$25 million over the same period.

David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, US Department of Energy, said: "This innovative research program will help promote clean energy, create jobs, and open export opportunities for US business. By bringing some of our best scientific and technical minds together, we can strengthen both our great nations."

The new partnership is framed by India's recently blooming clean energy activity. This month alone the nation was spotlighted in analysis by NRDC for dramatically increasing its generated solar energy, as well as in another report by Pew Charitable Trusts, where it ranks sixth in the world’s top 20 economies for clean energy investment.

Pew's report reveals that India currently boasts 22.4 gigawatts of installed clean energy generating capacity, and was the second fastest growing economy for clean energy in the past year.

Commenting on India’s top spot in the Pew report, Phyllis Cuttino, Director of Clean Energy Program, Pew Charitable Trusts, said: "On a number of measures, India has been one of the top-performing clean energy economies in the 21st century, registering the fifth highest, five-year rate of investment growth and eighth highest in installed renewable energy capacity."

Praising India’s recent examples of low carbon economy leadership, Aditi Dass, Director of Programs India, The Climate Group remarked: “With India now steaming ahead in the global clean energy funding rankings and through joint ventures like the JCERDC - as well as with its bold national climate policies and state action plans - India is poised to take the lead in the global Clean Revolution race. I look forward to seeing effective clean technology innovation from the JCERDC that can be applied to the rest of the world too, and hope that it will inspire further international collaboration on clean energy.”